Haggen to close grocery stores in Arlington, Edmonds

The Haggen Food & Pharmacy in Arlington and the TOP Food & Drug store in Edmonds will be shut down within the next two months, the Bellingham-based Haggen announced Thursday.The closure of the stores came after the chain was unsuccessful in negotiating a lease renewal with the property owner, the company said in a statement.“Haggen greatly appreciates our customers, and we hope that those who patronized these two stores will consider shopping at our other Haggen locations,” Clement Stevens, co-president and senior vice president of marketing and merchandising, said in a statement.The stores have about 150 employees combined. The company is attempting to place their workers at other Haggen stores. It also will work with unions, the state's Employment Security Department and other businesses to try to help affected workers.The company ceased operating the pharmacy at the Arlington store at 5 p.m. Thursday, but the Edmonds pharmacy will continue to operate until further notice.Liquidation sales will begin Wednesday at the Arlington store at 20115 74th Ave. NE and June 11 at the Edmonds location at 21900 Highway 99. Within the past year and a half, Haggen closed eight TOP Food & Drug stores in Kent, Auburn, Yakima, Tacoma, Lacey, Federal Way, Bellevue and Shoreline.The company said those closures were part of a long-term plan to improve competitiveness.After this newest round of closures, the company will operate 16 Haggen stores, including ones in Stanwood, Marysville, Lake Stevens and Snohomish.The Edmonds store was the last TOP Food grocery in Snohomish County.

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